According to a National Institutes of Health study, most people believe that sleep apnea is caused by a sagging soft palate or by some other obstructive tissue in the throat. Actually, it’s the result of a diminishing signal from the brain to the diaphragm (controlling breath) that can occur during the transition from initial semi-wakefulness into the next stage of lighter sleep prior to REM sleep. In some people, the unintended reduction in the signal is significant enough that breathing goes beyond being shallow and completely stops.

After a short period of time, the brain, realizing the need to breathe, forces a rapid inhalation to restart respiration that literally drags the sagging localized soft tissues into the airway, as reported in Sleep Apnea: A New Approach to an Emergent Problem, by master herbalist Steven Frank, of Nature’s Rite. For some, there’s no indication of potential problems when they are awake, as the tissues remain in their normal state and the throat doesn’t close off during the day or when relaxing or resting, but then they can experience an obstruction problem when trying to go to sleep.

Instead of resorting to surgery to remove neck tissue or using a machine to force air into the lungs, try a natural, herbal solution that has been used for thousands of years. Lobelia acts as a respiratory stimulant and maintains deep, steady breathing through the stage 2 sleep period. Thyme improves the ability of the lungs to exchange CO2 for oxygen, while chamomile and cramp bark help the upper trapezius muscles to relax supporting better nerve transmission.